Parshat Terumah

Rabbi
Bernard Fox

“The poles
should be in the rings of the Ark.They
should not be removed.”(Shemot 25:15)

A ring was attached to each corner of the Ark.Poles were passed through these rings.These poles were used to carry the Aron – the Ark.The Torah commands us that the poles must
remain in the rings at all times.Even
when the Mishcan is erected and the Aron is at rest the poles are to remain
attached.

The poles were designed for the transport of the
Ark.When the Aron was moved the poles were needed.But when the Ark was at rest the poles did not have any apparent
function.Why should they not be
removed at such times?

Gershonides discusses this issue.He explains that the Ark represented the
Torah.The Torah is perfect.Therefore, the Ark must always be
perfect.With the removal of the poles,
the Ark would no longer be complete.An
incomplete Aron is unfit to represent
the Torah.[1]

Gershonides explanation seems difficult to
understand.In order for an object to
be perfect it must be complete.However, perfection also requires that the object have no extra or
meaningless components.Imagine the
perfect machine.Every part would serve
a purpose. No needed component would be absent.No component would lack purpose.

When the Ark was at rest the poles had no
purpose.They were extra.It seems the Aron would have better represented the perfection of the Torah
without this superfluous component!

Gershonides is providing us with an important
insight into the nature of the Aron.The Ark constructed in the wilderness was
transported as the nation traveled.Therefore, the Aron was
constructed so that it could be carried.However, this design was not merely a practical necessity.The portability of the Ark was essential to
its very definition.In other words,
the Ark was defined as a portable item.The Aron could only be
considered perfect when it expressed this definition.Even at rest the Ark was required to conform to this
definition.It must remain completely
portable.For this reason the Aron of the permanent Bait HaMikdash remained unchanged in
design.The poles were part of the
design and could not be removed.

Perhaps, this provides a message regarding the
perfection of the Torah.This
perfection, in part, lies in the portability of Torah.Torah is a way of life that applies to all
times and places. Even when Bnai Yisrael are dispersed throughout the world,
Torah is still to be the guide.

“And the
cherubs shall spread their wings upward, their wings covering the
Ark-cover.And they shall face one
another.They should face the center of
the Ark cover.”(Shemot 25:20)

The Aron –
Ark – in the Mishcan held the tablets
of the Decalogue.The opening of the
Ark was sealed by the Kaporet – the
Ark cover.Mounted on this golden cover
were two cherubs.The golden cherubs
were positioned at the ends of the cover.The cherubs faced one another.Their wings were spread forward and upward.

There are various opinions regarding the meaning of
these cherubim.Don Yitzchak Abravanel
explains that the cherubim symbolize two relationships.Their up-stretched wings represent the
relationship between the individual and the Almighty.The cherubim faced one another.This represents the relationship between the individual and his or her
friend. The cherubim were placed upon the Ark that contained the tablets.This communicates the message that both of
these relationships must be based upon the commandments of the Torah.[2]

The importance of the Torah in regulating relations
between individuals is reflected in a well-known teaching of the Sages.“Torah scholars increase peace in the
world.”[3]This concise dictum communicates the lesson
that the Torah is a guide for the treatment one’s neighbor.Through following the principles of the
Torah, a healthy community is formed.

It is interesting that our Sages taught that Torah
scholars increase peace.Why did the
Sages not say that the scholars create peace?

Rav Zalman Soroskin ztl offers an insightful response to this question.He explains that two issues must be
addressed in order for peace to be achieved.First, there must exist, among the members of the society, a desire to
establish peace.Second, wisdom is
required to translate this goodwill into concrete rules for relationships.The scholar, through the Torah, can provide
the framework in which peace can develop and flourish.However, in order for these efforts to be
successful, there must exist a sincere desire to pursue peace.

Based in this insight, the meaning of the Sages
emerges.The Torah scholar cannot
create peace.First, the desire must
exist.However, given this desire, the
scholar can help society achieve its goal.

“And they
should create for me a sanctuary and I will dwell among them.”(Shemot 25:8)

In this pasuk
Hashem instructs Moshe to command Bnai Yisrael to construct the Mishcan.Hashem tells Bnai Yisrael that through this Mishcan, He will dwell among the people.

This passage cannot be understood literally.In order to understand the difficulty
presented by a literal interpretation of the pasuk, an introduction is needed.Maimonides, in his commentary on the Mishne enumerates the basic
foundations of the Torah.The third of
these basic principles is that the Almighty is not, in any sense, material.[4]

Maimonides discusses this principle in further
detail in his Mishne Torah.He again
explains that the Almighty is not material.He adds that it is also inappropriate to attribute to Hashem any of the
characteristics associated with physical bodies.For example, Hashem does not have a front of back.One cannot ascribe physical actions to the
Almighty.Also, one cannot ascribe a
place to Hashem.[5]

This principle, identified by Maimonides, is a
logical extension of the proposition that Hashem is a unity.The Torah clearly states that “Hashem is
one”.[6]This statement tells us that there is only
one G-d.However, our Sages understand
the passage to also mean that the Almighty is a perfect unity.This means that He has no parts or
aspects.He is not subject to
division.He is an absolute
representation of “oneness”.[7]The principle of Hashem’s unity precludes
attribution of a material existence to Him.Any material entity is has parts or aspects.It has a front and back or dimensions.These characteristics contradict the concept of absolute unity.

Furthermore the Torah clearly states that Hashem is
not material.This principle is
communicated in Moshe’s review of the event of Revelation.He reminds the nation that they had
experienced Revelation at Sinai.In
this experience the Almighty was not represented by any material image.[8]

We can now understand the difficulty presented by
our passage.If our passage is
interpreted literally, it contradicts this principle.Literally understood, our passage attributes location to the
Almighty.The passage states that
Hashem will dwell among Bnai Yisrael!This is impossible.Hashem is
not material.Therefore, it is not
correct to say He dwells in any place.

Unkelus is sensitive to this anthropomorphism.In his translation of our passage, he alters
the problematic phrase.In his
rendering the phrase reads, “and I will cause the Divine presence to dwell
among them”.Unkelus’ intention is to
remove any attribution of place to the Almighty.According to Unkelus, the passage’s refers to Hashem’s Divine
presence or influence.In other words,
the passage describes a providential relationship.The Almighty will exercise His providence over the Mishcan and the people.

Rav Yosef Albo, in his Sefer HaIkkrim, uses the same
approach to explain various anthropomorphic expressions found in the
Torah.A few examples will illustrate
this approach.Hashem tells us, in
reference to the Temple, “Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually”.[9]Hashem does not have eyes or a heart.The intent of the passage is to communicate
that a special providential influence exists over the Mikdash.[10]The Torah states that at Revelation, “the
appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the
mountain”.[11]This passage does not intend to communicate
that Hashem was present at Revelation.This would attribute a place to the Almighty.Instead, the passage is stating that the influence of the
Almighty was evidenced through a physical manifestation.In this case, the manifestation was the
conflagration that appeared at the top of Sinai.[12]It should be noted that the pasuk refers to the “glory” of the
Almighty.This supports this
interpretation.The Almighty was not
present.However, His “glory” or influence
was indicated by the fire.

One anthropomorphic expression has occasioned
considerable discussion among the Sages.One of the names used for the Almighty is HaMakom – the Place.[13]This is popularly understood to mean that
the Divine presence extends everywhere.However, our Sages provide a different explanation of the term.They explain that the term means that Hashem
is the makom – the place – of the
universe.[14]

This explanation is very difficult to
understand.How can the Sages refer to
Hashem as the place of the universe?Hashem is not material.He is
not a place!Rav Yitzchak Arama offers
a novel interpretation of the Sages’ comments.He explains that the term place can be understood as the base upon which
something rests or is supported.As an
example, he cites the second mishne of Tractate Avot. The mishne explains that
the world stand on three pillars – Torah study, Divine service and acts of
kindness.The intent of the mishne is
that these three activities are essential to the existence of the world.The mishne expresses this idea by
representing the world as standing on these activities.In other words, standing in a place – upon
the pillars of Torah study, Divine service and acts of kindness – represents
dependency.Rav Arama explains that the
name HaMakom communicates the
universe’s dependency upon the Almighty.He is the “place” upon which the universe stands.This means the universe only exists as a
result of His continuing will.His will
supports the universe’s existence.Without His will, the universe would cease to exist.[15]